1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a protection cover for a battery terminal and to a battery terminal with such protection cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
A battery terminal has a clamp connectable with a battery post and a wire connector connected with the clamp. A known protection cover for such a battery terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,516. The protection cover comprises a tubular portion that surrounds the wire connector over its entire circumference and a cover for covering upper and lateral sides of the clamp. The tubular portion includes an accommodating portion that is open to accommodate the wire connector in a direction normal to its longitudinal axis. The tubular portion also has a lid that can be displaced to open or close the accommodating portion. The cover also can be displaced to expose or cover the clamp.
The tubular portion that surrounds the wire connector can accommodate the wire with improved operability by adopting a split construction of the accommodating portion and the lid portion. However, if the lid is not completely mounted on the accommodating portion, external matter may enter the surrounding portion through a clearance between the accommodating portion and the lid to contact the wire connector.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal cover with a surrounding portion that has an accommodating portion and a lid, and with an ability to detect whether the lid is mounted securely on the accommodating portion.
The invention is directed to a protection cover that can be mounted on a battery terminal that has a clamp for connection with a battery post and a wire connector for connection with a wire. The protection cover comprises a tubular surrounding portion for substantially surrounding the wire connector. The surrounding portion comprise an accommodating portion to at least partly accommodate the wire connector, and a lid which is displaceable between an open position spaced from an opening of the accommodating portion and a closed position where the lid substantially closes the opening.
The protection cover also comprises a cover for substantially covering upper and lateral sides of the clamp. The cover is displaceable between an exposing position where the cover exposes the clamp and a protecting position where the cover substantially covers the clamp.
The lid and the cover have interfering portions. The interfering portions do not interfere with each other while the cover is being displaced from the exposing position to the protecting position if the lid is mounted properly in the closing position with respect to the accommodating portion. However, the interfering portions do interfere with each other if the lid is mounted improperly, and hence the cover cannot reach the proper closing position. As a result, proper mounting of the lid on the accommodating portion can be detected based on whether the interfering portions interfere with each other while the cover is being displaced to the protecting position.
The wire connector preferably is inserted into the accommodating portion in a direction substantially normal to its longitudinal axis.
The cover may be supported on the accommodating portion for rotation parallel to a side wall of the cover. Additionally, the lid may be mounted for rotation on the accommodating portion and may reach the closing position by rotating across a rotation path of the side wall of the cover from an exposing position to a closing position.
The side wall of the cover interferes with the lid when the cover is rotated with the lid improperly mounted. However, the side wall of the cover is located outside the lid and restricts an outward displacement of the lid toward the opening position when the lid is mounted in the proper closing position and the cover is in the protecting position.
The interfering portion of the cover in the exposing position and the interfering portion of the lid in the closing position are located adjacent or proximate to each other. Displacement of the cover from the exposing position toward the protecting position causes the interfering portions to interfere with each other immediately after the displacement of the cover is started if the lid is improperly mounted. Thus, the cover need not be rotated a large amount.
The lid may be supported for rotation on the accommodating portion and the interfering portion may be at an end of the lid opposite the center of rotation. Thus, the shift of the interfering portion between the improperly and the properly mounted states of the lid is larger. Accordingly, the interfering portion of the lid can securely contact the interfering portion of the cover when the lid is mounted improperly.
The lid and the cover may have position correcting portions that engage each other during the displacement of the cover to the protecting position to forcibly push the improperly mounted lid to the proper closing position.
The invention also is directed to a battery terminal comprising a clamp to be connected with a battery post, a wire connector to be connected with a wire and a protection cover as described above.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.